In the past decade cellular telephones have become very popular. Many cellular service subscribes use their cellular telephones as much as, or more than their conventional telephones. Given the high reliance on cellular telephones, there is an interest in making cellular telephones that have functionality comparable to conventional telephones.
To that end, speakerphone capability has been added to cellular telephones. Operating in speakerphone mode, a cellular telephone uses a loudspeaker to output received audio, and sensitive microphone to pick up a voice or voices of one or more users who may be a few feet away from the cellular telephone. As in the case of conventional telephones, speakerphone mode can be used to allow more than one person to participate in a conversation with another party using a single cellular telephone. In such a mode of use, it is beneficial to have a loudspeaker that emits strongly over a large solid angle, so that, for example the cellular telephone could be set on a desk and people positioned around the desk would be able to hear the loudspeaker.
On the other hand, some users prefer to use a cellular telephone as they would a walkie-talkie. In such a mode of use the cellular telephone is often held in front of the user's face, (as opposed to being held to the ear). Although it is also preferable to use a loudspeaker in this mode, there is no need for the loudspeaker to emit over a large solid angle, and in fact, this is undesirable in that it may facilitate unwanted eavesdropping or disturb others in the vicinity if the cellular telephone is being used in a public place.
It would be desirable to have a handheld device loudspeaker system that allows a measure of control over a number of other people that will be able to overhear parts of a conversation output by the handheld device loudspeaker system.